Larry David's SNL Quit-and-Unquit Saga

Larry David's time at Saturday Night Live was fraught with challenges and unexpected turns. Early in his tenure, a Tuesday night confrontation with boss Dick Ebersol highlighted David's different work approach, as Ebersol insisted writers stay all night, regardless of completed work.

By October 1984, David's frustration culminated in a loud, public resignation minutes before a live show. He declared the show "stinks" and quit dramatically, only to regret it moments later due to the financial implications.

His friend Kenny Kramer suggested a bold plan: simply return to work the following Monday as if the resignation never occurred. Surprisingly, this tactic worked, with Ebersol proceeding as normal, allowing David to pitch new ideas, including one about a circus family.

In another peculiar anecdote, a young Ray Romano, then working as a futon deliveryman, visited David's apartment. Romano, an aspiring comedian, asked David about the cancellation of his show "Fridays," a brief exchange David barely recalls but which was memorable for Romano.

David's persistence was further tested when he pitched a sketch about the Flying Zambonis, a circus family with an unqualified nephew. Despite Ebersol's initial willingness, the producers balked at casting writer Andy Breckman as the nephew, leading to a heated argument where David insisted only Breckman could fulfill the role, ultimately resulting in the sketch being cut.

By the end of SNL's tenth season, David's employment concluded, though he doesn't recall if he was fired or if Lorne Michaels' return played a role. He shared his dissatisfaction with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who also departed that year, both finding the late-night work schedule unconducive to comedy.